An Examination of Telephone Triage in a Mental Health Context

Abstract

Mental health triage is performed via the telephone in some institutions. The process by which an accurate mental health assessment can be made over the phone has not been documented in the literature. Telephone triage has only been comprehensively investigated within the context of Accident and Emergency departments. This paper provides a summary of the main issues that arise from this literature and then provides a number of research questions that can be directed toward telephone triage in a mental health context.

Psychiatric Emergency Services: A Review of the Literature and a Proposed Research Agenda

“…Quite a few articles describe individual PES programs including mobile crisis, police, telephone, and emergency department psychiatric consultation services (5,(12)(13)(14)(15)(16)(17)(18). A few studies address service variations related to academic and public versus private settings (12,19).…”

Nurse‐led telephone triage in an Australian rural mental health service

“…The central function of mental health telephone triage is to improve access to mental health services, prioritize and respond quickly to crises 4 and limit ‘inappropriate utilisation of services when alternatives are available’ 5 . Triage nurses also provide advice and education to non‐mental health clinicians, patients, family and others about mental illness and its management 6 and act as a safety backup to clinicians 7 . The literature describes a number of advantages and disadvantages to mental health telephone triage.…”

“… Immediate 24 h 7‐day‐a‐week access for rural patients and referrers at the cost of a local call. Reduced need to travel 8 Anonymity for patients and carers who do not wish to be identified 6 A uniform service can be provided across a large geographical area. Potential reduction in labour costs by utilization of a small team, which can free other clinicians for case management responsibilities 6 …”

“…Anonymity for patients and carers who do not wish to be identified 6 A uniform service can be provided across a large geographical area. Potential reduction in labour costs by utilization of a small team, which can free other clinicians for case management responsibilities 6 Reduction in the after‐hours workload of general practitioners 9 …”

“…Potential reduction in labour costs by utilization of a small team, which can free other clinicians for case management responsibilities 6 …”